Governing mechanism for air-compressors.



R. H. RICE. GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR AIR GOMPRESSORS.-

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17,1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

Rigs,

Inventor;

RICHARD H. men-o1 m'uu m'ssixcnusuir i's, KssIG'NoR T GENERAL ELEC RIC i O PANY A conrontriou or NE\V YORK. v

To whm n T may concern:

Be it known that I RICHARD -'H. ihcn, a

' .citizen of the United I States, residing at tained in the furnace;

comlpressor is"emplo'ye'd' 'inblast furnace 1 us'ed,- j.as wi l ezgamplefif the corn ress or be driven by an Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachu- =setts, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Goyerning- Lie haiii'sm for Air-Compressors, of which the f0 lowing is a specification.

The" present invention relates to mechanism for governing the -volun'1e as distinuishcd .from' the pressure of fluid discharged. .)y a centrifugal air' com ressor,-'and is in;

tended more especially or .us where' the" As is 'wellknown, the s ithu h which a blastfurnace is constantly varying, clue chiefly todifferences *infsizej an shape of the twyersnnd to diiferenc'es'in" the size and amounts of ore and ful con-ltions' air will freely pass through the furnace; while at other times its passage is-greatly restricted or choked. rm: certain reasons,

which need not be specified herein, it is'deslrahle' to pass-a constant, or substantially constant, volumeof air thrpugh the furnace,

i I i l creases.

while it is in o oration. k centrifugiil compr esso'r is wel adapfisd to 'furni sh'ai'r for?- 'such purposes owing to its relatively-high 0rd of o oration and t o its-extre1'1 1et-simp'city an its ecqnomybf operation. .I ms however this great drawback, that-til prs'surc of the. air discharged by theimA 'peller does not increase when the output do I have discovered-or invented a governing mechanism whereby the disadvdnta e' above referred to can be m ercome-ahd.- the come pressor caused. discharge mgionstant v0l-" time of air fir-other gas," w hi'lo the pressure is caused to automatically vary up 'or down depending upon the freedom at 'th which the air or gas is ermittcd to flow through the furnace oriot ierrcceiving' apparatus.

In carrying out my invention a suitable air compressor is rovidvd comprising in its simplest form an impeller having suitable vanes which receive air or other gas usually -at or about atmospheric prcssu re and gradually increase its pressure tmtho. mint of dis- 'olmrge. The fluid discharged W the impeller is miller-ted in a conduit. formed in or attached totho impeller casing.

. power.

Undecsome' icondi timing of t is spark (Ir-control both the fuel admission ofsteaihto the tur ine.

The control of this meansover theregulator.

eovnnma umcmisnic ron n necoxrnnss'o'ns.

Specification o; Le'tterl Patent. Application filed- August 17, 190 1 sci-m so; usfi'se.

Patented April 27; 1909.

The impeller is driven by a motor of suitable character, which is capable of operating at different spegds to. suit the-demand for The motor may be of any suitable type such, for example, as a relat vely hi h speed turbine. The bucket wheel of t e turbine -may be filirectlyor in directl "con nected to the impeller as desired.' motor is provided with a regulator-of any suitable construction which will vary 'the amount of energy su plied to the motor as th e' deniand for iiui {from the compressor The clianges; The character of the regulator will-naturallyfyaiy withv the type of motor -readily"be understood. .l "or electnc m6tor,- it wil be of a nature to in- 4 crease or .decrease'th'e amount of electricity delivered to the motor. l'f'a gas engine is emplo' ed, the regulator will my the amount of no sup lied to the'cylinder: change the supply and tinnng'of the spark. In the case of an elastic-fluid turbine, .which I consider the preferred" arrangement, the regulator .will increase the amount of steam when it is- (lesired to increase the volume -of the fluid delivered by the compressor, and decrease it. when it is desired to'reduce the volume.

The type of regulator used for each of the t sof'motor' referred tooan be widely "varie 'l,.as will readily be understood and Hreciatedhy those skilled in the design it; uee'of prime movers and other motor s.- turbine, and as typical of a regulator I have shown a throttle valve acti to .vary the u order that the volume of fluid pas cin I ughthe compressor maybe mfaintam constant, a means is provided which is 8611815- typical of a motor, I-have' shown a, steam ."tivc' to changes in said volume, which meansis movable'and is connected to the regulator of the motor and controls or actuates it.

may be director indirect as best suitsthene quirements. The means in' the embodiment of my inventipn which I have chosen to ioo illustrate comprises a mo vable member or, float. This member or float-maybe made i in a variety of ways and be of any desired shape, or form. ,It can be a double cone, 4; flat disk, a short cylinder, a ballon other suitable shape or structure. It is located at V a. oint where it will be sensitive. to the the inlet side of'the im eller of the compressor weight. When a changeinwolume occurs,- the float rises or falls in accordance there with? In order to make this actioneffective [on the speed of the'rnot'm it is only necessary to beciiiisidered, namel th means for re-.-.

venting the speed of t e com ressor romi reachihitoo highavalue,whic might hap-= 3 penfif t e choke in the furnaceersisted or siglered' as limitations of-my in v ention, for

,the'speed 'governormay become'ac'tive at a.

. luglljer lowe'r speed: 1 When the governor The float is of constant weight and by 'coming' current 0 air or other gas. -There will he a certain pressure diff :rence between the zipper and lower sideof he fioat. "This pressure difference, 'multiplied bythe nu'm' or indirectly move .the regulator-as 'desir f depend lar ely upon the amount of power developed hy the float and upon that -re- 5 ditions --()onversely, when the volume: of fluid entering the compressor momentarily decreases,- the float is lowered -or mov'es and its speed is increased until,

' ernoi of any suitable construction .is pr-o {fsotar as the regulation-ofthe motor is con 'ccrt i'ed, but becomes active whe'nfthe speed vo umeof air or other gas ri'assing' th'rou'gli' the compressor, as for examp e in an enla e'- ment in the inlet, which enla ement may ed formed in a variety of waysut which'with advantage takes the form of two conical members-whose large ends are united, the small end of one member being connectedto and the small end of t e'other member to the main inlet pipe or be open directlyto the. atmosphere. l

virtue of said wei ht, ride ,or that on the in-" er of square inches in the floatiuwlll be just suflicient to. overcome the effect-of the to provldea suitable connection between; 1t an ,the regulator. This action may \Yhether the actionis direct or "indirect {willlator. 1 In operameans of the connection to the re later, the

toward the inlet which action causes-the re-z gulaLtor to admitinore energy to the motor i the .normal condition i's restablished;

- There is one more feature of my invention the outlet was accidentally close v "To pre-l vent this a. speed-responsive device or 'g6yvided which is connected to the-regulator in such'manner that it is nonmally inactivfe'm reaches'a certain value, for exam le-270O or" 3000 revolutions er minute. he I figures given are illustrative and are notto be con i 1 crimes I "The op 4 i- I n. i'e ulator m ca; annex cause helatte'r to restrict, the' admiss on of ,energy, whatever amount as prevent. the motor from over-' speeding; -movement s o the means sensitife to changes .b'ciised." V;

In'the' accompanying drawing uwhich illustmtbsbni pfythe embodiments of -[11y invention Figure lfi'is an end; view of a tu'rbine-.

-driven.lairfcompressori -and Fig. 2-is' a. side elevation of the same; e

-. ,5 1; indicates thiegcasing of; the centrifu 'al compressor; arid; 2 the" impeller'thereof; t 1e \l'at-terbein mountertorilthe.mainshaft 3 .sup orted g t-suitable be:=.rings carried by the bed-platehlkf Theicasing 9f the-com-- pi'essoris also supported vby the"; bed-plate.

oiuited'on the bedeplate'is3a turbine 5,'of

any'suitabl'e'construction;as here shown it is hw lpewn .thea-turhinei by the pipefiecontainingitl hut-offlvalve 7.- Betweenthe' regulate th g by t ie'inaim shaft ofi-theflturbine is a speed-r res 'onsive e ("vicegcompriei iga-collar -9 that is ast to itheisbevel -gearilb"and the,';latter meshes .wit h a bevel gear- 1 lf-carried' by a low speedshaft -that-isf,driveniby the main shaft, .==-12 -indica tes-'a vertical spindle that'sfi'de's'i in: the collagnB-arid -t o=-'which is attached ,a c9llar:.13, the ilatterimturn being connected as thefipeedgo thetiirbine increases, and the :we" hts move outwardly the spindle 12 'will 1 be epressefl. :r-To the lower'end of the spin- (lle 12 isv-tttachedpne-end of the lever 15. "to and ofthe lever is connected to the r0 h rTorthelever '15 at a point between its ends Qisconnected" the stem 17 of the-r la't'or or throttle valve 8. The up- ,per en of-the-rod .16 isffionnected toa lever The oppositcend of theroqk shaft is provided with a ever 20which is connectetlat its free end.with.he floatzl :byfnieans of the rod 22.

bythe' rod 22 for the -purpose of increasing or decreasing'the effective action'of the float 21 odifies the action of the lbow 2 7 that discharges into theconduit 2 8 The conduit 28i's made of two principal itsr charactgerrjllto the {motor} "to-such anv order-to prevent too sudden Shub Qft YflIY:e 8n( l 'theturbine is a throttle-valve .8iw1u'ch controls isteam' togtheturbine; -"Driven to thecentrif-u'pallyfacting weights 14-, so that 23; indicates one or more weights carried 5 5 1 5m; one of wmclik uh peller 2 n'ndthp t mbve n'ex ts guidesBO" I "of fluid disehiuged by the cp npreeso e-J 21"wil1 be lowemd-blightly t erfgi s -Ii1 order to guided:

aeniavlt'ime raise the valve stem 11 gafidfat;

j lteelied valve, inereasing the-supplybfsteain I 'tethe 'turbine. J This cau'ses the speed of the 'tilrbine to increase and the 'prssuge Of the air discharged bythe com resso'r'-'will;-.l s'o inereaseyntilthevolumg a fiuic l discluirgei i"by -'the ;icqmpresspr 'is restored to norm'aL Oxi'tl e other hand, assuming that the vol-- v imie' Qf fiuid pissing through the compressqr t'ached valve depressed, tlngs deere'asip the edmjsgion-ef steam to'tlie tu tbinean "thfe =speed of the latter will be decreased by the Y I increases Above no mgLthe float'gl will be vqx'rei-noreeeses to control or in any flowing thrlmgli fthe cgn ipressor direetly'to th regulating valve; as shown, it may be eonnected to the pilot valve of a 'hydm ulic govemingmleelmnis'm fo'rthe t-urbme "such. as'shown in the Emmet patent No. 859,286,

50 ."I -de sir e'to have it understood thetjthe' up:

the s hiel plates where aoverning median-- mm 13 emploged f the arqcter" shown. in o.- 815 ,742, dated March 20,- -1!.'J6.-" I 23' 1 "n accordance with the provisionabf the patent statutes, I have described the. p 'ineiple of qpe 'ation-ofm invention together 'with the a. paratus Whwh I now eonsid'e'f to represent te best enilidiment thereof; butf j pemtus hewn is only illustrative, and that the invention emf-he carried out by other tlv'' power agent for drivin'g it, am means Y'Vhatl lqim as new and desire to secure by .Qettets Patent of the United'States, is," 1. :Inc'0mbination, a. compressor a merus nsiveto changesin ihe volume of fluid enteringlhe compressofffor regulating the speed of tlxe said ag'cnt. v v

2. In comb nation, a compressor, a. motor connected to the 'com i'essor for driving it; a

ing thrbugh v regulz foreontrollirig t e motor, and a. device "sensitive. 'to chain" compressor]; decrease f-h "xfaiixiiiu when thesaid'vqluinemei'g'isesg v 4; In 'eqmbination} a. denipresser; 1'1 motive powerfa ent forflrivin 'it -meansiresponfax modifying the eefi'o'n compregsor,armqton Sensitive to *tlle iaetieil of the'dneans; und gm l tiu resser, and e iegqliztor f is schsitiv'e'to movements S. In cdml)ina,ti(u'i-,;

-'t'ic-fluid motor fetid" rides on the lwd'ypf pk -$240133 regulaitbl I sensitive to movements u govemdr. responsive to' ,Tegulator under wtxiinpql lditigns. 1 9. In mn'ixbmatlm'l,.nwmpressor,

variations in the volume of 'fluigl entevihg tlie (min resent, a reglla tbr for 'thc'imotor, that is "P1110 h'ch means, aml a, device fur' damping the movements of tho s'aid means.

Disclaimer in Lettri Pia t e rit No 919,953.

I 1 O "Incori l in 2 n, a. compressor, airinfirepoweragent for dnymg it, a. means senv sitive to ariationsinthe volume of fluid entering the compressor comprising a casing connection-1w 'ch transmits the moyemnt 0-ofthe said device to the regulator a and is its jioluh'l p increes'es movee iii one 1 5. direction-and gs-it decreases moves in the op:-

\ =po'site directtionzfwgfiidefor the'fioat, a. valve means controlhilg the admission .of'flu'id to fthe motor; and e connection-[01' transmitting motion froin the float to the valve means."

0 v l2 l'nvco mb ination a. compressor, an elusti'v'e means .for sg igiegenti a, weighted float-c011- 0 ilect'edito'itheregu'letormeene' which rides on assing'throiigh the compressor; and i: subjectedjtgl ejiiiflernce in pressureon op ---pos1t,e'-'sides, thehgei hjt pf the float and attachedrpants being'bailanced under conditions.

'14.' ;-I n combination, a. oentrifug'zil Mipuretus for impartingfiressure to a. fiuid ix motor for (1 living; it, afregul atoiforcontrolling-the notor 'a, conduit, a. limit located in the conduit and hotedppon. by the coluulln of fluid PRESSOBS.

Enters this diselai'iner I meane responsive to chem}:

to inyreaset passing throngh the compressor decreases 4. reflkmsive to the volume of flui sensitive to variations to the volume of fluid mm-hamsm for controlling the admislsion of rnelolmnisl'n to the exclusion of Sill means, and a. shulgoiiyelv in the Simply 'passi n g through said appagraitus whichcl anges its pesitio'n as the velocity of the fluid changes, and which cooperates with theigg'u lait'orto control the motor.- 1.5., I nqomlginetion, a centrifugal apperai 45 i s or. i' ni rto p e m' drvw vf -t. ic'fl'uid rnnt'-or for driving it, a. valve mocha-n Qism for 'cohtfolling the. speed of the mdtpi' 'a. fl id conveying condi'n't and- & float-located iiitlipl gmhdditksdiich-is' m'ovab'le in response '50 ,tn HQlEQQg' :i'h the volume of flui' irough' 'e'rid which determines 'e ctio'g'i of th e Ydlve'mechanism. 16;, eiimbineitiomi. centrifugal. ap'par'a his r1); xiitwirting ifiee'sure to a. fiu d e moto'r 5 4 f id| ii'ing' it,' 'a. mecl ieni$m -for-.controlliiigthe speed of the iiiotoir, a.- fluid conveyingeond'uitfeeoiiicilinemlier'forming a. the cor Idiot; 1 float located in said conicalni'mhel'gpnd .v'hiehh moves iIIi-IZQSPQDSQ 1ZO60. chain .in tlie volilme'offiuidpassing-there;

1 and a- -n1emfs for transmitting the fiw'ven' cnts' of thlfloat to the controlling mech'gim'isnifto control the elfeetiv'e'actioh of I the-bitten. i. 65 17. In coml'iinatioi'ifvacentrifugalapgara tug fo'rix'iiparting pressure to 'a fluid, a moto'i; for di iving it; a regulator for controlling the; 's'pe'ed "of' the motor, efloet locetediin ands 'byj th fl i .n i g; hm i idap- 0 p'am't is jwhicli"eo1'ierates -with the regulator-"- DISOLAIMQEB- 1. In combinatioli fg. compressor, amotive in the volume of fluid entering the compre sgxorfor 31!} compressor; a. motor connected to the compre'seor fol: r controlling the motor, nnd a'device sensitive 'fio changesingf l;hro1l,gh the'conipreseqlf alid'iw UU'Y'WUGHLH of the means, and a weed governor that Quince-control -of the. valve:

means under predetermined condltio v lffffi'gu'al- Gamttg Decemberi7, 1912.]

' 91"9-,{)53 -'Ri h d HI-Bic' -Lynn; GGX EImmG'MEcHA'NIeM-FOR AIR-COME,

- Patient .iiated Avril 27, 1909-. lDisclailjner filed'pecember '5, 1912, by the assignee, General Electric Company;

""lo, that-partof hQfYOlEiHi S which is identified he follows, to Wit we! agent for driving end o.

f 3. In 'eombiriixtion, a compressor;- q mbtorjconhected to find-driving the com prcssor ,-a regulating means, and 'an element located in a. pnssage'through which fluid acted upon be; the compressor flows for automatically ui'using the regulating means e amountof ehergv supplied to the motor when the volume of v below 'normal and to deprea'ee' the an oiiqt;- of er iergyjupplied whenthe saidvol'unle increases. Y

1n cmnbinaticn, a com ress0r', an ohve power 'alg'ent for drivingit,-gneans en'tering the eompre'ssoge regulator for controlling the admission of energy to the motorfw hichis sensitive'td'th'e action of'themeajns, for modifying the action of the regulator to prevent the of they said agent from exceeding predetermined value.

- 6.-lg| mymbinatioxi, a rmllpl'cssgil', :m elastic-fluid motor for driving it,va.m6ans ssing through the compreseo'r, e valve aid to the motor, which w sensltive to part'of I to controltlie motor, and'm'eansforwalrying j; V

Disclaimer in Letters Patent No. 919,953.

. mechanism to the exclusion of sni I, I DISCLAIMER- 919,953.-Ric/zard Rice, Lynn, Mass.

by the assignee, General Electric Company. Enters this disclaiherv "To that-part of the'claims' which is identified es follows. to wit: 1. In comhination,'-'p. compressor, emotive power 1 means responsive to changes in the \iolnme of fluid entering the compressor for regulating thespee d ofzthe e aid hgcnt.

-2. Inhornbinillbioij, 111%.114-8 regulator oontrollix'ig the motor md adevice sensitive tochanges in-the .vn nm'e of fluidfiitssing through the compressor and whioh ieznoved by the f or modifying' the actjo n of the, fegnlabon' 3. In'combin'ation, a oalnpre'ssor;'n motor-connected to end'driving the compressor, a regulating means, and an element located 'in a passage' through which fluid acted upon b the compressor flows for automatically cii'using the regulating means to inn-reuse t eumount' of ehcrg Supplied to the motor when the volume of fluid passing throngh the compressor creases below normal and to decrease the amount oflenergyeupplied when the saidvolnnzc increases.

p .ln cmnblnatiqn, a com ressor amotivc power 'a'gent fordriving it, rneana re rmnsive to tlu. volume 'of fluifentcring the compressor, a regulator for controlling t e admission of liner to the motor, -which is sensitiveto'the action of themeana, .Ulid a illVlCB for mu ifying the action of the regulator to prevent the speed of the and agent. from exceeding a predetermined value.

6. -ln combination, :1 ('HIIIIII'OsSQI, an elastic-fluid motor for driving it, a manq sensitive to v.-u-i:itions to the rolnm'c of fluid assingthrongh the compressor, a valve mm-hnnlsm for controlling the admission of old to the motor, which is sensitive to llluvl'mcnls of the means, and a Iced governor that assumes control of the. vnlfvo means under predetermined oonditmne.

[ (171'01'4/ (rusetlc, December 1?, 1912.] l

Govrznnmo 'MEcnANrsM FOR Am-Cou-. lBI-ZSSORS. Patient Hated April 27, 1909-. Disclaimer filed Dccem'her 5, 1912,

agent for driving it, and

.1; compressor,- a. motor connected to the compressor for dr'ii- 

